37 Weeks
by TheThirdTime'sACharm
Summary: A series of Oneshots revolving around Steve and Natasha and their ordeals through pregnancy in whatever circumstance it comes in. Romanogers, Steve/Natasha, Captain America/Black Widow
1. Couvade Syndrome

**TheThirdTime'sACharm: Waaaay too into the Marvel Fandom as of late (thanks Captain America: The Winter Soldier).**

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**Universe: Movieverse (aka the Marvel Movies that are sooo popular)**

**Inspired By: Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow, and the prospect that Cap and Widow had a child together. Also, all the CapWidow/Romanogers I've been reading on Fanfiction.**

**Title: Couvade Syndrome**

Summary:_ Steve begins to experience all the mood swings and sicknesses that come from being pregnant via his expecting wife._

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"Man, I hate Ninjas," Ironman complained as he spun on his heel to aim and shoot one of the warriors in black only for said opponent to dart out of sight. "They're damn near impossible to lock onto!"

"Maybe your suit's malfunctioning," Hawkeye quipped in with a smart little snicker. "Besides, there's nothing better than the good ole optical the Big Man blessed us with." With that, Hawkeye managed to aim right in the line of one of the Ninjas who tried to flip out of the way of his arrow—but to no success. "That's 10 for the hawk and 0 for the man of iron."

"Cram it, Barton!" Ironman shot back, turning just to shoot for the hell of it and somehow managing a strike across one of the Ninjas flipping around him. "Ha! Number 1 baby!"

Hawkeye merely rolled his eyes and continued his mission in picking off these adversaries one by one with his skills. Ironman may have been having the hardest times with the Ninjas of the Yashida Clan but Thor was likely having the best time. That god had fun wherever he went, whether out to lunch or out on a mission, like tonight.

"Thunder!" Ten, ten at a time fell and that little lightning show had a nice effect on lightening the arena around them to show where the other Ninjas were and who they were creeping on.

Thor seemed to be taking on the brunt of the force, but when the attention turned toward the Captain it was noted that his fight with the Clan's leader, the one who called himself the Silver Samurai was none the fairer.

The Star-Spangled-Captain was struggling to fight the armored warrior while simultaneously fighting to keep several Ninja's from sticking kunai into of his back. The others had never seen him so frustrated with a challenging situation, but hey, he had been—dare they say—"moody" the whole way to Japan; from the moment they got onto the jet to the moment they fell into this ambush.

His mood hadn't lightened when the others began saying he was making up for the emotions they were missing from their absent member who had been increasingly upset for not being allowed to participate in this mission. She was about to suit up and go with them had Dr. Banner not volunteered to stay her and be that "warning" if she tried upsetting and ignoring her Doctor's advice to stay behind.

Just as they were leaving the base each male could feel lasers burning into the back of their heads—through armor and helmet; didn't matter what protection you wore. So, in a matter of two minutes after the jet had taken off, the Black Widow's frustration had become the Captain's and instead of getting the hell annoyed out of it the others decided to egg it on by noticing this mood or attitude and naming it, "Natasha."

"Natasha?" Ironman asked as he came to stand next to Hawkeye who had quite the good view of the noble leader in action. Hawkeye snickered and nodded. "Natasha," he agreed.

After struggling for a few minutes with the onslaught of well-trained Ninjas assaulting him Captain America managed to fall back against a crate and crush the Ninja on his back into the metal casing. After that the Ninjas couldn't surround him anymore and he was free to kick, punch, and head-butt any who dared a frontal attack.

After they were taken care of the Captain, slightly out of breath, moved on to their leader. With just a shield in hand he fought Japanese man. Sword and shield met and just as the Silver Samurai turned and kicked Captain America hard in the gut his two teammates who had been watching from a crane were surprised to see how much pain the man was in.

"What's wrong with him?" Ironman asked, motioning his gauntlet toward the struggling Captain who looked quite hurt by the blows he was receiving by the samurai. "He's a freakin' Super Soldier. Why can't he take that?"

"Strange indeed."

Hawkeye and Ironman turned to see their friendly god standing next to them, behind him lay in wake the ruined army of Ninjas. They motioned back toward their Captain letting the god see for himself how Captain America struggled in his fight against the armored crime lord. The blond arched a brow before looking at them with questions filling his gaze.

"Is that metal warrior using something the Captain is invulnerable to?" Thor questioned with a swing of his hammer, ready to come to his friend's aide if something foul was amidst in this grand fight.

"He's a Super Soldier," Hawkeye mentioned. "There's no such thing as any possible weakness for them—unless it's sheer strength that he's overwhelmed by."

Thor cocked his head back and looked back toward the Silver Samurai and sized him up from his position. With a scoff he looked back at his "brethren."

"Surely you must be joking. Our Captain is far more valiant and a better warrior than this fiend."

Everyone rolled their shoulders and prayed it was true. Their Captain was stronger than most and this display was nothing short of sad—but then again none of them went head-to-head in combat with this villain yet so who were they to judge on battle performance?

Right when they were about to jump in and assist the soldier after seeing the Silver Samurai raise his katana to chop the Captain's head off—which they were all sure he couldn't regrow—the Captain turned and uppercut the samurai. The man dressed in silver fell back, off his feet and hit his back hard. All that armor made it easy to stand against adversaries but hard to get up off the ground if knocked down.

"See? No harm done," Ironman mentioned as they watched their Captain kick the Samurai's chest in before he leant down and worked on the helmet, battering it open with the sheer power of his fist.

Startled the team immediately raced toward their Captain to stop him before he killed the criminal.

"Yah! Rogers, stop!" Ironman shouted, flying to him first and taking hold of his arm, holding him back from another blow that could be fatal to the now unconscious Silver Samurai.

"Ease yourself, Captain America," Thor bade, his grip tight on the hilt of his hammer just in case the villain had done something to their beloved Captain.

"What's got into you?" Ironman asked as he reluctantly let go of their leader's arm and eyed him warily as the Captain picked up his discarded shield near the scene.

"I know," Hawkeye spoke up.

"No, not another word," Captain America warned, raising a finger in show of his warning.

Hawkeye smirked and then looked toward his fellow teammates who all nodded with smiles of their own.

"Natasha."

"Damn it. I said enough!" Captain America complained before unstrapping his helmet now coated with his own caked blood and ripped it off his head to reveal further frustration etching into his brow.

The others gave off laughter before Ironman opened his helmet and smirked at the Captain. "Sorry, Cap, but even you can't deny you're acting like the primadonna, no doubt cursing our very names with an Ouija board this minute. All that frustration looks a lot like hers," Ironman said as he motioned toward his own face in gesture.

"That can be explained, but what about that poor show you put on for us with the Silver Samurai?" Hawkeye inquired as he crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation.

Captain America flapped his arms to his sides, looking at his teammates. "I don't know what answer you expect for me to give. It was just a bad run. That's all. Let's pack it up."

So they did as told. No more questions and no more sharp quips as they made their way back to the pickup. It was early dawn and they could see the skies beginning to turn blue. Neither could wait to return to base for some long wanted R&R.

"Clean up the mess, boys?" Maria Hill asked as she walked out of the carrier ready to lift off.

"We did as ordered, Ma'am," Captain America said with a salute. His smile now back in place at the prospect of going back to the Helicarrier though the other three seemed less enthralled about what waited for them upon their return.

The moment, the _very_ moment Captain America finished his sentence he leaned over and vomited. Ironman quickly jetted away, Hawkeye jumped several feet back and Thor just so happened to be the one to get it all over his shoes. The god made a big frown before reaching over and patting the Captain's back quite hard.

"Are you well, Steve?" Thor asked in concern, the condition of his shoes forgotten for the unusual sudden sickness displayed on his normally healthy friend.

"J.A.R.V.I.S., scan Rogers and make sure he didn't contract something. If this thing's strong enough to get a Super Soldier sick then God knows what it'll do to us normals," Ironman said as his AI did as commanded.

"Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice came across the entire accompaniment. "Scan detects that Steve Rogers AKA Captain America has contracted nothing and is in prime shape."

"What, how?" Ironman asked. "No, no scan him again."

"When was the last time you actually . . .?" Hawkeye motioned to his lips and then out of them as if motioning a vomiting action.

Steve wiped it away and looked quite baffled. "Sorry, guys . . . guess I was shaken up more than I thought."

"Steve."

The Captain and the others turned toward Maria who had her arms crossed and a strange knowing smile on her lips.

"Are you aching in places you don't normally ache?" she asked, narrowing her eyes as if she read his answer to her question.

The Captain looked toward the others as if embarrassed before turning back toward Hill and nodding his head timidly. With that simple gesture as an answer the woman smiled and nodded in understanding.

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It was the first time Natasha smiled in . . . oh, say three weeks. No, it wasn't those sadistic smirks or evil grins usually seen on said assassin but a genuine smile full of love and nurture and compassion . . . well . . . mostly for the grumpy-faced old man they called their leader.

"Couvade Syndrome," Tony said through hard-to-breathe laughs. "Do you know what that is, Nat?"

"I know what it is, Tony, so ease up," she said as she laid on her bed while the rest of the men stood around full of laughter and jests mostly aimed toward her husband. She smiled, shaking her head and then reaching up to touch her man's firm square jaw. "Steve, why didn't you tell me you were having a sympathy pregnancy?"

"Because I didn't know what it was," Steve admitted but offered a smile for his wife.

The two certainly weren't the match made in heaven but after beating around the bush and an annoying mission where they were ordered to pose as a married couple on their honeymoon, well, one thing led to another; Natasha making it her mission to unvirgin Rogers; Rogers not putting up a fight; finding out about the pregnancy in the oddest of ways; officially getting married per Captain's orders, and now there they were. If that didn't bring a pair of head-butting but kin-at-heart people together then nothing would.

But lately Natasha had been getting scrapped from missions as she grew bigger and bigger to the point Colonel Fury decided to order her to stand down. And by stand down he meant "bed rest." The redhead fought tooth and nail against it until they placed Dr. Banner as her overseer. She remembered well what he had done to her in New York City and Steve did as well. In fact he was the one insisting she not be kept under his charge which led to a small little conflict in teammates especially when Tony Stark brought up trust issues.

So, in the end, Dr. Banner was allowed to watch her in her delicate state and so far he had monitored her successfully, keeping her in bed and with company as much as he could. He was even the one who announced the little one she was carrying would be a boy, which the couple had rightly named "James."

"Wow, that is something else," Dr. Banner chuckled before patting Natasha's hand. "You're a lucky girl; knowing your husband is so connected to you and the child."

"I know," Natasha said with a proud smile, looking up at her husband who offered her a soft pink dusting on his cheeks like the eternal virgin he'd be no matter how many times she'd bed him.

"Yeah, figures. He was always an emotional wreck," Tony chided.

"Tony," Natasha complained, shaking her head in shame at him. "You can't just say that. You don't know what it's like to be an expecting father."

There was a silence in the room from Tony's frown and the cut of his fun, but it seemed like Dr. Banner turned just in time to avoid eye-contact with billionaire. Tony noticed this before pointing to him.

"What's so funny, Banner?" Tony pushed.

"What? Nothing, nothing," the man horribly lied.

"Oh my god," Natasha gasped, looking at the doctor she could read just as good as the Captain. "Is Pepper . . . is she expecting?"

"She told me not to tell," Banner admitted, looking like the guilty puppy he was.

"Oh, congratulations, Stark," Thor said as he came up to him and wrapped him in a giant bear hug, lifting him off his feet the same way he did Steve when they heard of the news. "But, if you don't mind, I must take my leave. All these circumstances seem too common and I must check on a lady-friend of mind."

Thor casually left the room and just as he did the temperature turned to ice. Clint was one of the first to feel the frigid chill and shivered. "Well, it's a little too cold in here for me," he said and made his way out.

Tony pointed to the Doctor as he made to leave. When he looked at the man who was Ironman the doctor smiled apologetically before slowly backing away, trying to make his way toward the door.

"I'm sorry," he said even though he shouldn't really be the one apologizing for this kind of thing. "She said she was going to tell you soon and . . ."

"Who is it?" Stark asked quickly and the rest in the room almost didn't catch what he said.

"Excuse me?" Banner asked, fixing his glasses for a moment before reaching his hand back and feeling for the door to the room. Nothing but air. Dammit.

"Who's the damn father, you sonofabitch? !" Tony demanded and the others swore they saw his face getting red. "I know what it takes to get pregnant so tell me who's the goddamn bastard!"

Dr. Banner spared a confused glance toward Steve and Natasha who shrugged their shoulders and silently told him, "Stark may be a genius, but he lacks way too much common sense." Before anymore the doctor decided to turn and bolt for it before he was strangled for keeping the secret of a nonexistent man Pepper was _supposedly_ having an affair with.

"Heh, poor man," Steve chuckled before turning back toward his wife who looked up at him from the bed she had been laying in for a good couple of weeks. "How's everything holding up?"

Natasha smiled before shaking her head. "I don't think I have to tell you all my aches and pains since you feel them yourself." Steve smiled before she motioned him closer, leaning her head up off the pillow. "Come here." Steve obliged and leaned down to let his bride kiss him sweetly.

The kiss lasted for about five seconds before Steve found himself to be the one in the bed with Natasha above him and he wondered ever so thoughtfully how she managed to switch their positions with that large belly of hers. With a confused blink, his lips pursed, and his body still trying to figure out what happened to its sitting position, Steve looked up at his wife whose eyes darkened ever so slightly into that forest green he's only seen when they're . . .

"So tell me, Steve," she said as she wrapped her thighs around his waist and leaned down and purposely rubbed her breasts against his abdomen up to his torso before leaning back again, a devious smile on her rosy lips. "If you can feel what I'm feeling . . . can you feel how aroused I am right now?"

Steve didn't say anything. He just simply gulped and that was all the answer Natasha wanted as she leaned down and began to devour her prey. Hey, she could just blame it on the hormones that she and Steve seemed to share.

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Next Oneshot . . .

**Universe: HighschoolAU**

**Title: Teenage Sweethearts**

Summary: _Natasha is a foreign student at Shield High who unexpectedly gets mixed up with the captain of the football team, Steve Rogers. After a slow start their relationship becomes more intimate and the next thing Natasha knows is she's telling her All-American boyfriend she's pregnant._


	2. Teenage Sweethearts

**TheThirdTime'sACharm:**** Don't know if the facts are all there in this story. Probably not but whatever. It's Fanfiction. I can make up what I want ;D**

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**Universe: HighschoolAU**

**Title: Teenage Sweethearts**

Summary: _Natasha is a foreign student at Shield High who unexpectedly gets mixed up with the captain of the football team, Steve Rogers. After a slow start their relationship becomes more intimate and the next thing Natasha knows is she's telling her All-American boyfriend she's pregnant._

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Steve sat there looking completely dumbfounded. Natasha had the sudden urge to reach over and slap him but they had got past that stage in their relationship ages ago.

"I said, 'I'm pregnant,' Steve, what don't you understand?" The redhead rolled her eyes, aggravation and frustration seeping out of her every pore.

"No, no, I heard you," Steve defended, his gaze downward ad scanning for a thought to dwell on. "It's just . . . how?"

Natasha didn't attempt to hide her rolling eyes this time nor did she hide her angered glare. "Come on, Rogers!"

"It was that one time," Steve reasoned, shrugging his shoulders and looking completely helpless and at a loss. "I just . . ."

"It takes only _one time_ for a sperm to fertilize an egg," Natasha informed quite stoic much to the red-faced captain's dismay.

"I know, I know!" Steve said, closing his eyes and shaking his hands in front of her signaling he didn't want to delve into the technicalities. What, was he a virgin? Of course not, especially not after the Christmas dance so why was he still acting like one?

There was a silence after Steve's reaction and for a long while Natasha felt her gut dissolve. She kept kicking herself because she should have known better; she should have been careful. She should have had Steve wear a condom or something. She was already on the pill but look where that got her.

With a heavy sigh Natasha continued blaming herself. She hadn't meant to sleep with him after the dance. She had asked the American and his stance on the prospect of sex and his wide-eyed-virgin-purity told her he wasn't ready, but that night was different. His eyes had been a darker shade of blue and he seemed to hold her just a little bit tighter and kiss her with a little more passion. So they had sex, virgin-no-more Steve Rogers and another latch on Natasha's belt.

Of course that wasn't why she was dating Steve. If she wanted a sexual relationship she would have stayed with Nicolae or Alex—Russian boyfriends from the past. But Nicolae was too old and Alex too skinny, there were reasons she decided to call it quits with those two.

Until recently Natasha hadn't known how she had longed for someone to talk to; someone to hang out with; someone to study with; someone to jest with; someone to laugh with; someone to cry with; someone to connect with.

When she first arrived in the States it was all business for Natasha Romanoff, the redheaded Russian foreign student. She made it her unshakable mission to complete her high school years in America with as little distraction as possible, but . . . when she thought of the word "distraction" she thought of the meaning being more akin to finances, mobile transportation, and host family drama, but she hadn't thought the very word to be defined into a single human being . . . an American boy by the name of Steve Rogers.

He was the captain of the football team. Big muscle, golden hair, and blue eyes; there was no doubt he was a looker. But "boyfriend" was also another definition for "distraction." It was no worry, he wasn't her type anyways . . . too American.

So, Natasha pressed on, though not without making herself known for her grades and school attendance. How she and the captain officially met was when tensions began arising between Russia and the U.S. Their Homeroom teacher had brought up the subject and when Natasha spoke in favor of her motherland and downright said the United States should mind its own business, the boy in blue spoke up in his country's defense; apparently he was too patriotic for his own good.

So the rift was created. While Natasha called herself a socialist, Rogers called her a communist. While Natasha called him a capitalist pig, Rogers called himself a patriot. Freedom and equality were their social fights and they found themselves butting heads so much that one fight actually broke out. It was right after they had happened to see the same movie together. Their quarrel was taken out into an alley and Natasha threw the first punch. She promised herself she wouldn't show that side of herself while studying abroad in America but she made an exception for the American boy if only to see his nose broken.

Steve, being as chivalrous as Natasha thought, never hit her, instead there was a lot of rolling and whoever came out on top won. Natasha did and Steve stormed off upset. His attitude stayed that way the whole year and it was said the football lost the championship because of said attitude from their captain.

When summer break came Natasha was relieved. No school, no waking up early, but more importantly—no Rogers. It was great until Natasha's host parents had her get a job so to have a new life experience. She did so at their request and ended up regretting that decision seeing how Steve Rogers had been hired there as a part-timer too. And what was worse, their manager scheduled them together all the time!

At first they tried accepting their outcome and just stay quiet around each other. It was a bookstore so it wasn't hard. On relatively slow days Steve would sit and read books about his country. Natasha felt snarky one day and so asked if he read those just to show off his patriotism around her. What he told her haunted her; he said he had always read about his country and the principles it was founded on out of love and admiration for the land he lives freely in. He flat out told her the reasons why he was glad he had been born in the U.S. and not Russia. He did it ever so cleverly by showing off his knowledge of Russian history.

After Natasha got the answers as to why the captain was at the top of the history class, she became curious. So she began to read the books Steve read, in secret of course, and after a while she began to understand his character and his heart a little better.

The opportunity to really get to know him came in the form of a bet. Steve's friends dared him for a sum of money to ask her out on a date. Steve had been ever the reluctant one because everyone knew he had his eyes on the cheerleader, Sharon Carter, but Natasha just snatched up the hundred dollar bill at stake and said "yes" to the yet to be decided question Steve was supposedly going to ask.

It was only meant to be one date. The two were awkward enough at work, but now a date? So, Natasha used Tony's 100 dollars and paid for the date. She took Steve out to a diner that happened to be his favorite and then took him out to the movies. The typical American date, right?

After the movie the night was still young and beautiful so even after everything the two lingered together. They took a walk downtown and ended up at the park where they sat on a bench and stargazed. It was almost as if God himself planned the night of their date. A meteor shower happened that night and so the two stayed longer than planned and the falling stars gave them a subject to talk about as they walked home.

When Steve admitted to having a great time, Natasha took the chance to press for another date. She didn't know what had gotten into her but her heart now fluttered when she looked at him and when their eyes met Natasha forgot every past woe. She had been excited when Steve said he'd consider a second date and about squealed and jumped into the teen's arms when he showed up at her home on his motorcycle for a joyride, aka second date. After that they became official and accepted their differences.

That year, their junior year, Steve took his team to the nationals and brought home the trophy. The memorable moment was captured by a school photographer as Steve held the trophy and kissed his girlfriend for the first time. That one definitely made it in the yearbook and while Steve grew red-faced every time he saw it, Natasha adored it and kept it close.

So, however unlikely their relationship was, Natasha loved Steve . . . maybe a little too much considering their current condition.

"I'll drop out of school and get a job," the 17-year-old said, looking his girlfriend in the eye.

"No," Natasha refused. "You've got good grades and a chance at a scholarship. I won't have you ruin that."

"Fine," Steve nodded. "But college is out of the question."

Natasha looked down in sadness. She knew this would happen. She knew how self-sacrificing Steve was and she knew he'd do this.

"Doesn't matter anyway," Natasha said shaking her head. "They're going to send me back to Russia if my program finds out I'm pregnant."

Steve's eyes widened. "But what about the baby—_our_ baby?"

"Gonna have to come with me," Natasha said with a hard laugh. It was hard watching Steve bow his head in depression.

"No," he said with a shine in his eyes. He looked on the verge of tears. "I can't . . . the child needs their father. It's wrong they force me away."

"Well it's your country's goddamn rules," Natasha said rubbing her eyes from the moisture.

Steve frowned but he looked determined.

"Hide it," he said.

"What?" Natasha asked. "I'm going to eventually show!"

"I know," Steve said with a nod. "But trust me. I'm going to figure this out. I won't let them take you away." When he pulled her into a close hug he whispered, "Neither one of you."

Natasha didn't know what he had in mind, but she trusted him. Honestly she was scared. Hide it he said? Easier said than done. She usually never resorted to hoodies, especially when it was damn near 100 degrees outside but she had to. In a way she was sort of glad the remainder of her pregnant months happened in the summer, no worries with teachers or classmates.

But a problem did occur.

She and Steve hardly got a chance to talk. In fact with the new school year they had fewer classes together and his practices were scheduled on days they could take the time to see each other. So after nearly a month of this isolation Natasha finally managed to take a few minutes to talk to him. He asked her how she was fairing and she told him she was holding and that the child was moving. She could tell he wanted to touch her, to feel the child he planted inside her, but there was a strain and before Natasha knew it the American had left her.

She knew exams and keeping your reputation with the football team was a priority but so was your pregnant girlfriend. When Natasha called Steve's cell or even texted him she found herself mostly ignored. What was going on? Firstly she had thought he wanted to know how she had faired and now it was like he was avoiding her.

Steve Rogers, good Christian boy, wouldn't do that, would he? She had assumed his gentle heart and goody two-shoe persona would forbid him from being such a deadbeat but now she was beginning to question herself. Even more so when she was faced with scandalous rumors all by herself.

Because of her sudden shift into an introvert the teachers did notice. Her classmates noticed her change of clothes before all and the girls in the school had noticed the distance Natasha placed between them when they showered together. Because of this one of the girls made a joke about her being pregnant. Natasha thinks it was Sharon Carter but she wasn't sure. Now the teachers caught onto the rumor and one even had the gall to approach her.

Natasha didn't know how she managed to get Mr. Coulson to back down from her but that man was too smart and she didn't want to look him in the eyes any more than she had to. After that ordeal was over Natasha rushed to the restroom and cried her eyes out. She could blame it on the cheerleaders for starting the ridiculous but too-close-to-the-truth rumor, or her raging hormones that come with being pregnant, or the fact that the father of her child was nowhere around to defend her.

She felt so alone in these swelling months. She happened to catch a few glances at Rogers but all in all he was mostly busy and always running off to somewhere. So, eventually she stopped calling him. She stopped texting him. She stopped looking for him. She stopped waiting for him to come riding in on a white horse.

She tried to not think about him but every time she felt the baby move inside her she couldn't help but have her thoughts sway toward him. She also began to wonder about her host family. Lately they had become quiet and she knew it wasn't about her grades because they were excellent as usual. So she kept quiet and kept her ears keen for anything that might give way to the rumor spreading.

Along with that rumor another arose and it was that she and Steve had called it quits. One day, in the cafeteria that subject had been brought up—after all, Steve Rogers, captain of the football team, was the most desirable teen in school and if he had a shred of availability then the ladies wanted to know—and it had been Sharon Carter who had approached the jockey's table where Steve sat and asked him if he had called it off with Romanoff. Afterwards she proceeded to ask him out.

Natasha had never felt so appalled by someone and she couldn't tell if she was upset with Carter or with her so-called boyfriend. But even as she glared at the two from tables away in her lone corner of the cafeteria she watched Steve shake his head, get up and leave with a, "Not now, Sharon."

Well, there was fence-rider Steve. He didn't deny the rumor nor did he settle it. So the girls pressed on and Natasha felt that if he wanted to gain more affection from the girls then he could because she couldn't take this solitude anymore.

Then, one day, their homeroom teacher, Ms. Hill approached her and guessed her secret and would not let the exchange student leave until she got her answer. Natasha was cornered and now she was found out. She didn't tell the woman anything but Ms. Hill informed her that she was going to tell her host family and in that the program.

She was going to get shipped back to Russia.

Well, home seemed a lot better than this suddenly foreign land. The prospect of seeing her parents and brothers seemed nice. But what would her family say about her pregnancy? She could just hear her mother's sad and disappointed voice and the anger in her father's tone as he ordered her to get an abortion. No doubt her brothers would distance themselves from her and there was a possibility she could get disowned—her family was just like that.

She didn't want to return to Russia but didn't want to stay in the States any more. She was facing isolation wherever she went and she wondered if it had been the right thing to keep the child. She knew why she decided to continue on with the pregnancy and it was because Steve told her to trust him.

She laughed at her situation but she began to cry when her host family found out. She had been taken to the doctors and the looks on their faces when they found out how far along she was shocked them. She was due in August and it was just the beginning of May; she had already hid her pregnancy for six months.

She was beginning to show, but not by a lot. She was glad by that much, but it didn't matter anymore. The rumor was true and she had to face it all alone. Grades no longer mattered because she was pulled from school, pleasing her host family was no longer an issue because she was moving out.

As she sat in her agent's car she looked out at the home and her host family who seemed disappointed. She had lived with them for years and she was glad they let her stay for as long as she had, but now her diploma from the U.S. was out of the question. She was coming home empty-handed.

Empty-handed? Yes. But alone? Not so much.

With a soft smile Natasha openly reached down and touched her rounding belly. Her agent didn't look too happy at the sight and just as they drove out of the driveway she heard the sound of a motorcycle.

"Wait!"

Natasha turned in her seat to see Steve hopping off his bike and running up to her host family before realizing she was no longer with them. When he saw the car and saw her in the backseat he rushed toward them and jumped in front of the car.

"Wait!" he said once more and then ran over to wrench open the backdoor. "Natasha, don't go!"

"You're a little too late, Rogers," Natasha said, blinking her eyes to keep the tears away. "If you ever want to travel, come to Russia sometime. We'll be waiting."

"I don't want to get a passport just to see what's mine!" Steve said and Natasha found herself in an anger.

"What's yours?" Natasha questioned before she reached over and pushed him and jumped out of the car, standing up to him no matter his height. "Since when do you care? You tell me to trust you and then leave me high and dry! When the rumors started, when the questions were asked, where were you? Playing flirty with your cheerleader friends? Busy playing ball with the guys? Well it's easy to do that when you're not carrying a child!"

She was crying. Natasha never cried so she blamed the hormones. But right then and there she felt her heart break especially when Steve looked as hurt as he did.

"Nat," he began softly, trying to reach out and touch her but one slap from her hand made him back off. "I didn't want to leave you like that but I had to."

"You had to?" Natasha asked with red upset eyes. "Please give me your reason for that, ever-loving-Rogers."

When Steve smiled Natasha found a curiosity arising amidst her anger. Then, Steve knelt down and pulled out a small velvet box.

"Because a guy has to give a girl a ring when they propose," Steve replied when he opened it to reveal a modest diamond ring.

Natasha's eyes widened and she looked around. She wasn't the only one shocked, but her host family and agent as well.

"I'm sorry but I was working two jobs to save up," Steve said. "I figured if I married you, you could stay, right?"

"You can't get married, you're too young!" Natasha's agent demanded.

Steve stood up and looked at the short man. He narrowed his eyes and pulled his girl close. "We'll see about that. If the courts allow us then she can stay."

Natasha had cried again. She cried when Steve placed the ring on her finger and all-out sobbed when Steve pulled her into a tight embrace. He apologized for not sticking up for her when he should have, but he had been so busy that he could only think about his overbearing jobs and his grades and his athletic academic.

All in all, Natasha didn't know how it happened but they were allowed the marriage as long as Steve promised to support her and the child. Of course Steve would and within a month the two had been married. Though this was likely due to the fact that the program had contacted Natasha's family and informed them about the situation, the family then went on to disown their own daughter and so the judge had felt it best she not return to a means of no home nor income for the upcoming child, so Natasha was moved in with the Rogers even though Steve said it would be temporary.

It wasn't long after that Steve quit the football team. His studies and jobs were becoming too overwhelming and now he tended to the every whim of his new bride. By the end of the summer Steve managed to save up for an apartment so not to impose on his parents any longer. His parents were sad to see him leave and had come to love Natasha as their own despite such a looked down on situation she had thrown herself into.

Friends and family helped them pack and helped them move. They had wanted to move into the apartment as soon as possible but life never went according to plan.

Little James had other plans and had been born the morning of the moving date. Weighing a good 7lbs and 4ozs the little boy was born on August 18th to a pair of 17-year-old teenagers. His coming was full of love and the very next day Steve and Natasha took him home to their new apartment—the friends and family having surprised them and moved all their belongings into the apartment while Natasha gave birth.

As Steve took his turn to sit and coddle the child, he had asked Natasha, "Why did you keep him, Nat?"

Natasha's green eyes had been gazing at the child, getting lost in his beauty when Steve asked her that, she looked up at him from where she sat on the floor since that one chair happened to be the only piece of furniture they owned. Natasha smiled and reached up to pet her son's fuzzy red head.

"Because I loved you," she answered, looking up at her husband. "If it had been anyone else's . . . I wouldn't have thought twice and just got rid of it." She saw Steve grimace and knew how anti-abortion he was. The subject was always sensitive with him since he was prolife and she was prochoice. With a soft chuckle, Natasha laid her head on Steve's thigh and touched the bundle in his arms. "That would have been the most easiest thing to do, for the both of us, but we didn't just have sex the night of the dance, Steve." When their eyes met Natasha said, "We made love. It was the first time I have ever considered sex that, but it was love, Steve, and now look . . . here he is, our love that we made that night. I have no regrets."

Steve smiled brightly and pulled her into his lap where they held each other close, kissed, and watched their child slumber.

Against all odds the two graduated. Steve had surpassed everyone's expectations and made it to valedictorian. With a toddler on her hip, Natasha watched in pride as Steve spoke to their class and told them to dream big. He made sure to thank his friends and family, especially that of his ever supporting wife and child which made Natasha beam with pride even more.

God did Natasha love that man and by now was very thankful for her pregnancy. She figured if it hadn't happened she would have simply returned back to Russia after being handed her diploma. She would have never married Rogers if James hadn't surprised them all and so she was glad. She wouldn't have it any other way.

Sticking to his word, Steve had not accepted the multiple scholarships given to him and instead enlisted into the Army right after graduation. It would be near impossible to work, take care of a family, and go to college and so the Army was his best option.

Natasha hadn't liked the idea because she knew they'd send him away, and she was right. After nine months of training Steve was being shipped off to his first tour. They said it was nothing serious, said it was just stationing the men at shady checkpoints, but you could never know out there.

So there Natasha was, kissing her husband goodbye and not willing to let go. It was James' cry for attention that eventually broke the couple apart from their embrace.

"Oh, sorry, James," Natasha apologized as she inhaled a shaky breath. She was trying not to cry. Picking up the 2-year-old the little blue-eyed redhead hugged his father close.

"Happa berfda, daddy," James said which made his parents smile.

"That's right, it's daddy's birthday today, isn't it, James?" Natasha commended her smart little boy. The boy, being only two years of age even knew how to write a little and read. He was going to be a genius when he grew up. Natasha then turned to look at her teenage sweetheart—he was 19 years old now. "Can't they pick another day to ship you out?"

"Orders are orders," Steve said with a sad smile before pulling his family into his arms. "I love you both. Make sure to have fun with those fireworks. Be back before you know it."

"Stay safe," Natasha bade as Steve turned and picked up his bag. He smiled at her and nodded. "I will."

Then he turned to leave and as he did Natasha felt her heart ripping out of her chest as her husband left through the terminal.

"I love you, Steve!"

The American stopped and then turned around and offered her one last smile. After that he was gone to serve his country. Natasha guessed she should have known Steve would eventually enlist. With or without a family Steve loved his country and now she learned to love it as well . . . for birthing a man like him.

"Come on, James," Natasha said as she picked up her son and sat him on her hip. "We're going to write your father every day and jam up his mailbox. And you, young man, are going to show him your writing skills."

* * *

For a two and a half year old, James was intelligent, that much Steve could make out as he sat in his bunker to take shelter from the hot sun of the day and looked at the letter his son had written, but of course the address handwriting was all Natasha's. James wasn't that smart yet.

The letter was slightly wrinkled with two-year-old neglecting fingers and a few scribbles etched the sides, Steve swore he caught the sight of a dinosaur off to the right-hand corner of the paper. There were letters, oh yes there were . . . it looked like the whole alphabet drawled across the entire page but some did come together to form a sentence which Steve found himself impressed and very prideful that someone so smart came from his own genes.

There were two sentences, sloppily written, and a single picture Steve was sure his little boy shoved into the letter without his mother seeing. The sentences and picture though was enough to tell him what had been happening the past six months in the Rogers household.

The letter read, 'Come home soon, daddy. Mommy's getting fat.' It was the typical sentences of a blunt toddler and Steve couldn't help but laugh and hold up the picture his son had graced him with. The picture was of Natasha, standing sideways lifting her tank top just enough to reveal her rounding baby swell. She had a face on of fun surprise and looked like she had taken the picture herself though why she hadn't given it to him sooner was beyond his understanding.

Looking down further Steve's smile broadened when at the bottom of the picture was written in Natasha's handwriting, 'It's a boy!'

Steve chuckled with a nod. "Yeah, looks like she is."

Tracing his index finger over the swell Steve was accompanied suddenly by his roommate, all sweaty and panting as he came in, guzzling his water bottle and plopped himself down on the cot across from him. The man noticed the picture and so quickly leaned over and smiled. "That your girl?" he asked.

"My wife," Steve informed as he tucked the picture into his uniform. His roommate looked taken aback as he scanned him over.

"You're like, 16 right?" Steve guessed he looked younger than he was. With a chuckle Steve said, "Come on, Sam, you know no 16-year-old can enlist. I'm 19, just so you know. Could have sworn I told you already."

"Yeah, but that was before I knew you had a wife. Who has a wife at 19?" Sam asked with a cocked brow.

"I do," Steve said, not regretting marrying that early in the slightest.

"Man, you full of surprises, Rogers," Sam said with a chuckle as he finished his water bottle and then tossed it into their makeshift trashcan. "What's her name?"

"Natasha," Steve said.

"Looks like she was popping; your first?" Sam inquired.

Shaking his head Steve held up two fingers. "Second. Said it was going to be another boy. Hope I get to see his birth."

"Maybe you will, maybe you won't," Sam said with a sigh. "You can never tell how long a tour lasts. Sometimes when an officer returns the wife and kids back home get tired of him not being there. You seem like a nice kid, Rogers. Don't be upset if that happens to you."

"Happen to you?" Steve asked.

"Me? Nah, a friend of mine—several, actually," Sam informed with a cough. "I've got my eye on the Captain. The way she orders me around is kinda attractive."

Steve and Sam laughed in turns before Steve shook his head and took in another glance at the picture of his expecting wife. "I don't think she'll be leaving me any time soon, Sam. Not after all we've been through."

"Teenage sweethearts are what we call you," Sam stated before laying back on his cot. "You're about to rot my teeth out, Rogers."

"You're the one who wanted to bunk with me," Steve said with a sigh and leaned over to boot the man in the ribs.

"Hey, the guys are gonna have a card game later tonight. Ya in?" Sam asked, eyeing the teen.

"Nah," Steve said with a shake of his head. "Captain said I could have a call home after my shift. I'm not gonna miss that for the world."

"Suit yourself," Sam said, pulling his hat over his hot face.

"Private Rogers! Your shift is on. Let's go!" Steve and Sam heard their Captain call out.

"See ya later, Sam," Steve said as he took up his arms and headed outside to meet that beating sun and the dusty air.

"Tell the wife and kiddies I said, 'hi'," Sam said with a saluting wave.

Steve just smiled and went to complete his shift to his greatest ability so he could return to camp and call home. He had a lot of questions and he wanted to hear everything that had been going on in Natasha and James' life—especially about the upcoming little one.

He was certain he'd be home soon, at least home in time to see his second son's birth and he most certainly didn't have to fear anything his bunkmate Sam Wilson had said to him. Natasha wasn't going anywhere and neither was he.

"I'll be home soon, guys. Wait just a little longer," Steve whispered as his shift ended and he raced to the officer's station to grab a chance for a line home.

* * *

Next Oneshot . . .

**Universe: Movieverse**

**Title: Life in Death**

Summary: Tragedy has struck the Avengers. When a foe proves themself too powerful their leader is lost. Captain America has fallen and the world has fallen in disarray along with the Avengers. Natasha can't believe she can move on any more after Steve, but maybe she was wrong. Maybe this young new life growing inside her will fill that hole in her heart like Steve had.


	3. Life in Death

**TheThirdTime'sACharm:**** Just to let everyone know, probably 99% if not 100% of the time Steve and Natasha will be having James because I'm not too fond of OC's and am just lazy in creating them, also I happen to like James Rogers' character and the aspect of him being their son is just great. So, yep, for anyone wondering why, say, they've yet to have a daughter or something or any other kid not named James, there's my reasoning. I like to stay canon as much as possible if I can.**

* * *

**Universe: Movieverse**

**Title: Life in Death**

**Inspired By: the upcoming movie and speculation that the Vision as well as the possibility of Ant-Man (Creator/and or co-creator of Ultron) might make an appearance, as well as the strangely close-to-home plot of the Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow where their parents had gone down fighting Ultron who happened to be the Mr. Bad villain.**

Summary: Tragedy has struck the Avengers. When a foe proves themself too powerful their leader is lost. Captain America has fallen and the world has fallen in disarray along with the Avengers. Natasha can't believe she can move on any more after Steve, but maybe she was wrong. Maybe this young new life growing inside her will fill that hole in her heart like Steve had. WARNING: Character Death

* * *

No. This couldn't be happening.

He was a Super Soldier. He was Captain America. He was Steve Rogers.

He was dead.

"Steve! Steve!" Black Widow cried out as she held his fallen form. There was a giant hole in his torso. His last act was to attack Ultron so that Ironman and Ant-Man could sneak around and inject a virus into the machine while it was distracted by the Captain's attack. But it was no use. The world stopped turning the moment the Captain's shield rolled to a stop and the man's body dropped. The Black Widow and Hawkeye were the first to rush to him and the only ones to witness his final moments of breath.

Captain America said nothing as he gazed up at the two; he couldn't after his wound rendered him in shock and voiceless. His eyes had shown fear; the Black Widow had seen this the most as she gazed into those shattered blue eyes of his that had turned upon his ender, the machine that named itself Ultron. When those dilating eyes finally turned to her their hues had met in an array of sadness and regret. No doubt the regret of not being able to protect her, like he promised.

_"This I solemnly swear: to love, protect, and cherish you until the day I die, which will be a long time, Natasha."_

The Black Widow watched as something wet fell on the Captain's dirtied face, just below his left eye. She touched it and smeared the blood it lightened. When another drop of liquid fell on the Captain's face, Black Widow raised her hand and touched her cheeks, it was hot with running tears, and they weren't stopping.

_"Well, this I solemnly swear: to stay by your side even when you order me away to take on whatever foe you're facing; to share all my secrets that I usually keep to myself; and to not murder women who hit on you as you stay the same and I age away."_

_"That's not the traditional lines, Nat," Steve said with a groan._

_"And I'm not a traditional girl, so kiss me already and let's seal this deal."_

Inhaling a shaky breath, the Black Widow felt her body begin to tremble and it was because of this she was losing her grip on the Captain's form.

She's never felt like this before.

"Mission status: successful. Elaboration: destroy the leader of the affiliation known as the Avengers." That maniac machine stated like some irritating GPS.

"No!" Ironman gasped. "We never programed you to kill others!"

"Correction, you programed me to maintain order. I cannot accomplish my instilled task without annihilating a considerable root cause of disorder," Ultron stated. "The man known as Captain America needed to be exterminated. He risked atrophy among my order at the highest level. If you still wish to defy me and the programing you placed into me then you shall be annihilated as well regardless of status as creator."

"Pym!"

Everyone turned to see a red-eyed, bare-teethed Black Widow, guns raised and aimed directly at Ultron's mainframe.

"Get that goddamn virus inside that bastard right now!" the redhead cried out. "It . . . it killed Steve. It has to be destroyed!"

But there was a problem. Without the leadership of Steve Rogers, of the Captain America, the Avengers were in disorder and confusion at what to do next. Because of the sudden loss of their leader a great uncertainty hung in the air while the debate for the next move weighed on everyone's minds.

If Ultron was capable of emitting emotion and possessed lips of its own the Black Widow was certain she would see it smirking with a satisfied smug look as it said—

"My analysis stands correct; the human known as Captain America stood as your leader and battle overseer. Without him you are clueless and lack purpose; much easier to control and maintain."

Ultron was right. God why did that thing have to be right? Everyone could see the tension on not being able to rightly communicate properly. No one was stepping up to take Steve's role. Who really could?

"Initiating threat percentage calculation . . ." When Ultron's voice was heard, everyone tensed up. They didn't know what it'd do next and, more importantly, they didn't know how to handle it. "The human known as Ironman, real name: Anthony Edward Stark. 85% risk of dismantling. Solution: take immediate action. The human known as Ant-Man, real name: Henry Jonathan Pym. 67 % risk of dismantling. Solution: take immediate action. The human known as the Hulk, real name Robert Bruce Banner. 53% chance of becoming hazardous. Solution: hourly doses of sedatives. The alien known as Thor, full name Thor Odinson. World of origin: Asgard. 46% chance of becoming hazardous. Solution: destroy weapon. The human known as Hawkeye, real name: Clinton Francis Barton. 15% chance of becoming hazardous. Solution: Immediate imprisonment. The human known as the Black Widow, real name: Natasha Alianovna Romanoff. 8% chance of becoming hazardous. Solution: immediate impri—correction . . . 97% chance of becoming hazardous. Solution: immediate termination."

"What? !" Hawkeye shouted as he grabbed a hold of Black Widow's arm, ready to jump out of line of fire from the machine should it turn on them suddenly. "What harm can she cause to suddenly up her threat level? She's not Captain America!"

No, she's not, so why the high headcount?

"She carries a risk inside her," Ultron informed, though its mild explanation only continued to confuse the group. "If allowed to come about my order will be put to risk. The blood of atrophy must be isolated and exterminated."

There were no more explanations and as the machine raised its gauntlet, Ironman was the first to act.

"Hawkeye, down! Widow, grab tight!"'

In less than a second Ironman flew and caught the Black Widow by the arm, raising her up as Hawkeye jumped to the left when Ultron shot a blast of energy their way. It didn't stop there. Wherever the Black Widow happened to be Ultron's targeting followed. So, Ironman found the only option to fight this battle another day.

"Avengers, disassemble. Now!" he shouted as he carried Black Widow off to safety.

"But machine still functioning!" came the Hulk's dissatisfied reply. The Hulk had never listened to anyone and it was a wonder how Captain America managed to pull off ordering him around like he did.

"If you wanna stay, then by my guest, but Ultron's even too strong for you, Hulk. Your best bet is to retreat and regroup!" Ironman informed.

The Hulk seemed reluctant but when he left, it was quick. He turned, picked up the body of Captain America and jumped out of the line of fire. They gave Ultron the city and they gave it freedom to enslave the leftover humans still remaining within the borders of the broken metropolis.

Returning to the Helicarrier defeated hurt so much worse than anything to group had known. Laying Captain America's dead body before Colonel Fury's presence broke everyone's hearts, even the Director's. The man let out a soft sigh before straightening his form and saying, "Agent Hill, take the Captain's body to the lab to see if the scientists can duplicate his Super Soldier serum."

There was a silence especially from Agent Hill who still seemed at shock from the Captain's death.

"Did you hear me, Agent Hill?" Fury was a hard man; he showed no empathy in situations like this.

"Y-Yes, sir," she said, wiping her cheeks from tears as she and her team came to the dead man.

"What are you doing? !" Natasha about attacked any personnel who came near the Captain. When she looked at Fury her eyes narrowed. "You!" she pointed at him. "You said you wouldn't conduct any tests on him!"

"While he was still alive," Fury said as if finishing an unsaid statement. "He's dead, Natasha. He don't need that serum anymore." The Director then turned and pointed toward the ruined city in their monitors that the machine known as Ultron decimated and was currently making its kingdom. "We need it. We're going to need more soldiers like him if we can hope to defeat that thing!"

"It wasn't because he was a Super Solider that made him our leader!" Natasha shot back. "It was his heart for others and the ability to understand everyone and any kind of situation. You can't hope to recreate that."

Fury let out a sigh and finally sat himself down. They had never seen the Director so weary before.

"I know, Natasha, I know. But what else can we do?" He asked with a sad look from his eye.

With Captain America dead their spirit was gone. So there was no retaliation in response to the Ultron threat. Not as soon as it should have been at least. S.H.I.E.L.D. did its best to keep Ultron at bay but it was gaining ground. The heroes tried recuperating but with no spirit it was harder to heal even the physical wounds.

Lastly, there had been no success in duplicating the Captain's Super Soldier serum. When he died, the serum vanished and it was like he was a regular human being whose casualty was nothing short of miniscule.

"We can't just leave him," Natasha said as she inhaled her tears to her best ability. She was kneeling down, petting the man's golden locks. He looked like he was sleeping despite a slightly blue complexion. The doctors had cleaned him up good.

"We have to," Clint said with a sad sigh. "I'm sorry, Natasha. I really am."

The Black Widow had been her perfect alias. Anyone who dared getting close to her was in the wrong business. She tried to warn Steve but he was ever optimistic and gladly took on her warnings like a challenge. She thought he was insane but that insanity somehow managed to affect her as well the day she said "yes" to his marriage proposal.

A little over a year, that's how long they had been married and she had never been happier. Then . . . _it_ came and destroyed everything Natasha had come to love. She had not foreseen this, no one had, so her heart was still so far behind insisting to stay with her dead husband. But her body marched on, as it always had, underground where most of S.H.I.E.L.D. began to station itself due to Ultron's domination on land and quickly above land. No one knew how to combat it and even if they did they'd end up dead . . . just like Steve.

When risky missions were brought up, everyone was allowed to go but her. They reasoned that it was because of her high rating with Ultron, but the she-warrior wanted revenge in any way possible. She was about to go AWOL when the others returned in a small triumph, having with them one of Ultron's "offspring." Tony and Hank managed to rearrange its programing for their alignment and when it began thinking itself a part of the Avengers it began offering any information that it felt would help them in their fight against Ultron.

"Wait, wait, wait. Vision, repeat what you just said," Tony commanded as they watched the machine doubly named the Vision offer all the data stored in its mainframe that seemed to have been passed down from Ultron itself.

"The Black Widow, real name: Natasha Alianovna Romanoff, creates a 97% risk for Ultron's plan of world order due to carrying the previously deceased Captain America's offspring."

All heads turned to the wide-eyed crimson-haired woman who looked just as shocked as they at this new information.

"Nat, you're pregnant?" Clint flat-out asked.

"18 weeks and 2 days to be exact," the Vision informed. "Ultron fears the child of Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America, to prove troublesome and therefore seeks its extermination."

"That's not fair!" Barton slammed his fists on the table. "Not all children are like their parents. Ultron can't determine threat levels from just observing a parent. It's just not right!"

"Ultron has analyzed this result based upon the character of the preceding parent, the gender of the child, and the genetics of its making," the Vision said.

"Vision, tell us the entire file," Tony commanded, his eyes narrowed and lips downturned into a frown.

Vision followed the order in loyalty. "Captain America has left unborn issue. Gender: male. Mother: the Black Widow. Genetic make-up: Contains dubious amounts of Dr. Reinstein's Super Soldier Serum. Result: the child will be an advanced human being and is likely to rise above parents in physical ability and intellect."

There was a silence in the room and Natasha covered her mouth.

How could she have not known something so important like pregnancy?

Her hand flew down and pressed against her stomach, still smooth and taught. She knew she should have felt something like movement, right? 4 and a half months along should have resulted in movement but there was no sign. How come she wasn't sick in the morning? How come she felt no cravings? She was certain her longing to eat Ultron's neuron hard drive heart did not count as a maternal craving.

Even though she and Steve had been quite sexually active, as any newlywed would be in their first few years of marriage, the thought of getting pregnant had never crossed her mind. Often the two were sent on missions in different fields due to marital emotions that the Director feared would compromise an operation. So, sometimes they had to live away from the other, sometimes for months on end without seeing or hearing from the other. But when they returned home, and into the arms of their spouse, the emotions and their bodies were passionate, and the nights long.

In fact, the last time Natasha and Steve had made love was the night before the Ultron atrocity. Exactly . . . 18 weeks . . . and 2 days ago.

Natasha was pregnant. She had been for a long time and Ultron had detected it before anyone else, no matter how early the pregnancy was in stage. It had tried to kill her . . . her and her child . . . Steve's child.

"I'm going to have a baby?" The fact of the situation still had Natasha reeling in shock, her head spinning with explanations and her mental state destroying what was left of her sanity for not being the brighter to realize she had been pregnant for so long. But she was not alone in her inner turmoil.

"Correct," the Vision answered in that robotic voice Natasha had come to despise, but now . . . she was watching this machine smile at her as if it was happy for her. "As a human would say when hearing word of a pregnancy, 'congratulations.'"

"Why would you say that when you once wished my extermination?" Natasha asked, feeling moisture in her eyes suddenly.

"Because you and the others saved me," the Vision answered. "I like to consider us friends. I am truly grateful that something of the noble Captain America has survived and I am truly happy in you finally becoming a mother. I am certain your late husband, Steve Rogers, would have been happy as well."

Natasha stood up quickly. Covering her mouth she turned and rushed out of the room. The tears had started falling and she felt the bile rise in the back of her throat. She couldn't tell if she was angry or just very, very sad. But one thing she did know was that she needed time to herself.

Dangerous or not, Natasha left the underground station and ventured aboveground for some fresh air. It was night time already and the assassin hardly remembered what it felt like to have the cool breeze of midnight wash over her. It felt good, but painful all in the same time because it brought back such sad memories.

_"You know you can catch a cold standing out here like that. At least that's what my mother used to say."_

_Natasha turned and smiled to see her bright-eyed and ever handsome husband standing behind her on the balcony of their Brooklyn apartment. She playfully turned back around and rocked her torso._

_"Then she must have not raised you properly, what with the way you're dressed," Natasha said after seeing her spouse's bare chest and pj bottoms._

_When she felt strong arms wrap around her she sighed in content. When his nose nuzzled her neck she leaned into him and basked in his strong demeanor and scent._

_"But the wife loves this outfit the best," he said as he open-mouth kissed her neck three times before pulling away. He took hold of her arm and turned her before slowly letting go of her to let her know she could make her own choice on whether she wanted to return inside of not. Of course a little bribery always worked in the ways of persuasion—something to man learned a great deal from his wife._

_"If you don't come in soon I'll get tired and fall asleep, then we won't be able to have any fun."_

_Natasha smiled affectionately at the blond before nodding her head in agreement and pulling herself close to her man. "Alright," she said. "The night's boring anyways."_

_When she felt his hands caress her jaw she looked up at him as he leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers. Natasha's heart would always race and she would find herself jumping into his arms and giving him her everything._

Her everything.

It was hard not still longing for him, but what could she do?

Did she really have a piece of him? Did Steve really leave something of himself behind to survive him? Was this really too true?

The answer became clear when Natasha had seen the babe for the first time via a sonogram. She blinked back her unnecessary tears the best she could as she touched the monitor's screen. Her fingers skimmed across the face, across that round nose, down the crescent spine, and then back up to those little curled fingers.

"And it looks like it's a boy, Mrs. Rogers," the doctor said with a pleasant smile as she looked toward the assassin who continued to gaze at the sight of the scanned child inside her. "Don't' worry about little movement; some children are just less active than others. This little man seems content with staying where he is."

"Wow, look at 'im," Clint spoke up as the others got a chance to see the sonogram. "He's big for 18 weeks."

"He is," the doctor agreed and then pointed toward the screen. "In fact, if you look closely you can see him gradually growing."

The rest of the group leaned in and just as the doctor said they could see the steady growth. It was strange and no doubt baffling to the doctors.

"Any explanation, doc?" Tony inquired.

She shrugged her shoulders. "This is a first for us as well."

"I can explain if in need of enlightenment."

Everyone turned to see the Vision entering the room. Tony nodded and said—

"Go on."

"Our predicted analysis was correct. The Super Soldier serum administered to Steve Rogers to remake him into an advanced human being has been inherited in his offspring. Being the evolved form of a homosapien is explanation enough. The male child will be birthed in estimated 22 weeks and 4 days. The child will no longer need to be carried for any longer time span than that."

"Five and a half months?" Clint asked, his eyes just as wide as everyone else's. "That's coming up soon!"

"Why hasn't Natasha shown yet?" Thor asked, looking at the woman still laying down looking at the image of the child inside her. He shrugged his shoulders when everyone turned toward him with curious glances. "Well, women, you know, 'round' more, right? Unless Midgardians differ."

"You know, I was thinking the same thing," Clint spoke up.

"Some women just hold them well," Bruce answered. "Often times it's the way the child is positioned that show or don't show. I can see Natasha's child is positioned just right where she doesn't show, but he's getting big and I do believe we'll see some growth, not only from the child, but from Natasha as well in the near future."

Dr. Banner was right; Natasha began to round within the very same week. Not completely large, but a sizable bump the showed the woman to be among the expecting. During that time, when all of the resistance were counting down to the little one's arrival, Natasha became softer and more nurturing to herself; making sure to eat right and leave her alcoholic beverages behind no matter how much they had comforted her in her time of grieving. She was doing her best to make sure the child she was carrying received all the nutrients he needed.

She did, however become ever more aware of her growing sadness.

"Nat?"

The redhead turned to see Tony walking in the cafeteria, his personal coffee cup in hand, no doubt heading to get a refill. She turned from him and quickly wiped her cheeks, but no matter what the red eyes were a sign to the man she had been crying.

"Nat, what's wrong?" he asked as he sat down next to her, his task of refilling his cup forgotten.

"It's nothing," she said, pulling out her best smile and looking down into her glass of warm water.

"Nothing? You're up at 4 in the morning and crying." Tony reasoned.

There was a silence before Natasha blinked back a few more years before letting out a sigh.

"In two and a half weeks . . . that's my due date," she said with a sad smile. "And I'm going to be all alone."

Tony wanted to say, "No, you have us, Nat," but he didn't because he knew what she meant. She was a widow now, officially. She wouldn't get the chance to have her husband standing next to her, holding her hand and smiling as she birthed their first child. She wouldn't get the chance to have him next to her as they signed the boy's birth certificate together. She wouldn't get the chance to raise her child with its father.

"I guess I shouldn't have expected anything better," Natasha said with a laugh laced in irony. "My lifestyle, my job occupation, if I got close to anything I should have expected I'd end up with the short stick. That's just what I deserve."

"What about Steve?" Tony asked. "What do you think he deserved?"

"Someone better than me," Natasha said as she cast her gaze downward and then placed her hand upon her rounding belly. "He deserved the world and now it's gone to hell."

"Well if he deserved whatever he wanted then he deserved you because he wanted you, Natasha, and not anyone else," Tony said. "It's true he didn't deserve to just die like that, but his family is still alive. I think that's what he'd want more than anything else in the world. So what if he hadn't known, I'm sure he knows now from looking down from above at us." Tony motioned upward as if pointing toward Heaven. With a sigh he scratched the side of his face. "I think you're putting yourself in this depression when you need to stay up for the kid to come. He's coming soon and we're all just as anxious and nostalgia about Steve. It takes a toll on all of us. But damn it we're all so happy . . . so happy that there was something left behind from him, and right now, you're the only one able to take good care of it. After he's born, we'll all protect him. You're not too alone in this, Natasha. Believe me."

All of them were willing to be foster parents for the child if Natasha felt overwhelmed but the redheaded warrior felt she could continue and if possible, raise the boy by herself. She decided to stop dwelling on the "what could have been" thoughts and instead think about the future. She'd often daydream about her little one and wonder what he would look like.

Would he have her eyes or Steve's? Would he be a blond or a ginger? Would he take after Steve before the serum? Would he have her intelligence?

Along with that came names and Natasha was all too willing to start naming them. She had stayed up late one night writing down baby names and on that particular night her little boy decided to be as restless as possible. She tried rubbing her belly to calm him down but he wouldn't.

"Alright," she chuckled as she leaned back in her chair from the table she sat at in the cafeteria. "I'm watching. What are you up to, little one?" She couldn't possibly focus on writing names for him when he kept moving around and distracting her thoughts from the task at hand.

"It is a good sign that he is finally moving, am I correct?"

Natasha turned to see the Vision standing a few paces from her. She hadn't heard it enter the hall and wondered if her skills were lacking or she was just getting careless over being an expecting mother. She still hadn't gotten accustomed to the robot, especially it being Ultron's creation with the original task of taking her out. She could never tell if its programing might get rearranged in the possible future so she always had a gun on her.

"Vision?" she questioned, eyeing the machine warily. "Why are you online from stasis? I thought Tony had shut you down for a reboot."

"My systems came online earlier than either of us expected and now I have been wandering the halls until I found you. Shouldn't you be in stasis, Mrs. Rogers? It is well past 3 in the morning," the robot said, as if it should be giving her commands.

"I can't sleep well when he's like this," she said as she rubbed her belly, visible to see the child moving inside her.

"Human children have always fascinated me," the Vision said, it was even smiling. "The way they come into this world is such an anomaly that I don't believe I should ever understand it. It is hard for a machine to comprehend how real life begins."

"They're nothing short of miracles," Natasha said with a soft smile but now she felt a sympathy for the machine. She hadn't realized how much emotion it seemed to have picked up from them and now that even it was seeing its own inhumanity it was becoming sad from the aspect that it'll never be able to experience things only humans could—like loving a woman or having children for that matter.

"Sometimes, it's a good thing you'll never understand," the redhead said. "Because if you ever did, the reality of losing something like love or a child could be devastating. In a way I wished I were made a machine, that way I couldn't feel anymore. Emotions are one of our weaknesses, you see."

"I beg to differ," it said as it closened to the point of uncomfortable, but Natasha couldn't find herself really caring after their conversation. "They are what make humans so unique in my thoughts. Ultron saw fault in your ability to choose between right and wrong, but I see a beauty. Freedom to choose to love, freedom to choose to die is beautiful to me, Mrs. Rogers and it is something I wish I could share with you."

"You are a curious robot, you know that, Vision?" Natasha smiled at the making of this machine. He was no longer just some kind of computer anymore. He'd become more sentient and it amazed her to no end how much he wanted to become involved in their lives.

"So I have been told, Mrs. Rogers," he said offering her another smile he pulled out in the most human of ways.

There was a short silence when Natasha caught the Vision looking over her writing. He turned toward her and said, "All those names are Russian. The child's other parent of ethnicity is American. Do you not wish to suggest those names as well?"

"Well excuse me," Natasha chuckled and placed her arm over the piece of paper even though she knew he probably already scanned it. "Maybe I haven't gotten there yet."

"Oh, my apologies then for speaking too early," he said.

"No, it's alright," Natasha admitted. "Honestly I find myself enjoying your quips."

"Do I annoy you, Mrs. Rogers?" he asked in curiosity.

"No," she admitted solemnly as she let out a sigh. "You anger me."

"I am sorry," he said in response. "If you wish I stay out of your presence then I shall."

"Maybe you should," Natasha said as she rubbed her suddenly aching temples. "Look, I try getting used to you it's just . . . every time I look at you I think of Ultron. That machine wouldn't be doing what it is doing right now to this world if we had stopped him—if my husband had lived. You wouldn't be here if Steve had lived."

"You wished he had lived instead of the creation of my existence," The Vision noted and watched Natasha nod her head. When he turned to gaze off into the distance Natasha raised her head and looked at him. What he said next surprised her. "I do regret the things that my creator has done. After reading all of Captain America's files I truly wish I were able to meet him, but since my wishes shall never come true I strive to live by his example and hope I can make the same difference in this world he did. It is because of that that I feel obliged, Mrs. Rogers, to make sure the world is a safe place for his son to grow in."

Wow, there was something of a soul to him that Tony had mentioned before and now Natasha could see it as clear as day. The Vision was not so much like Ultron that she had thought. He thought for himself, he spoke his thoughts even when not asked to. He even dreamed and had wishes as if he had some kind of a conscious and . . . when had she began referring to the Vision as a "he"?

With a soft smile, Natasha said, "Thank you, Vision, for caring for simple human's well-being."

"But you aren't just a simple human being," the Vision informed. "You are my friend and I should like you to consider me your friend as well."

Right when Natasha offered him a smile the station shook. It shook so hard that she had fallen out of her chair. The Vision was quick to kneel down to her side. "Are you alright, Mrs. Rogers?" he asked.

"Yeah," Natasha said feeling her little one still moving around inside her.

Quick to her feet she and the Vision ran back down the hall toward the command station where she had found Director Fury and he didn't look too happy.

"What's happening?" Natasha asked but before an answer was given she saw a figure on the monitors and it struck a paralyzing fear in her being. "Ultron!" she gasped. "How'd it find us?"

"We don't know," Fury informed. "But it's taken down all our outer defenses and it's brought a damn army of robotic soldiers. We're evacuating."

"To where?" Natasha asked. "There is nowhere else to go."

"There is one place," Fury said. "Deep in the artic. The temperatures are so cold it'd freeze that machine's circuits right off. The station hasn't been used for decades and it is relatively smaller, but we'll make due."

When the station shook again, Fury quickly turned back to the monitors. "What now? !" he asked, his anger and frustration seeping out in his tone.

"Ultron has broken through the shields and is currently in Hanger B," the techs informed. Fury let out a, "God dammit!" before banging his fists on one of the monitors and then turning back toward Natasha and the Vision just in time to see the rest of the Avengers running into the command room.

"It's Ultron, isn't it?" Tony asked, sparing a glance toward Pym who looked just as concerned about the machine that they had created together. Tony and the others were already in suit, no doubt ready to meet the machine in a given order.

"Yeah, so that means we're moving," Fury informed as he motioned for the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to follow him while he left the room. As he left he gave his final commands to the heroes. "Banner, Vision, you'll be escorting Natasha to Hanger G and personally seeing her to safety. I want her out of here first. Tony, Thor, Pym, and Barton, you're going to give us as much time as we need to evacuate everyone out of this station."

"Got it," the four said in unison, ready to head off and meet the mad machine.

"And one last thing," Fury said, stopping before he was too far out of ear's reach. He turned and looked back at his team of heroes and said, "No more dying. Losing one Avenger put the world in danger. Losing any more will not be good for human kind. You understand?"

"Clear," Tony said for the others before closing his visor and letting the others run off ahead of him. Before he joined them in their blockade he turned toward Natasha and the Vision. Pointing to the redhead he said, "You make it out of here fast, Nat. You've got precious cargo."

"I know," she said with a sad smile as she touched her constantly rounding belly. When she looked back at Tony her eyes shown that of fear and anxiety. "Be careful," she warned.

"Aren't we always?" Tony said with an encouraging wink before jetting off.

"Come on, guys!" Banner shouted, getting Natasha and the Vision's attention. They ran off and managed to make it to the hanger without any incident. But just as they were boarding one of the quinjets the station once again shook and shook and shook. Everyone fell to the ground from lack of balance and when they thought the station might just self-destruct the wall of the hanger crumbled.

Thor had been tossed by the machine through the wall and landed onto one of the jets. The explosion later caused by the impact ignited another jet seated next to it and before they knew it, nearly half of the jets in Hanger G had been dismantled and unfit for flight.

"Come on!" Banner cried as he got up and began running toward the jet once more. Just as the others followed him the ceiling above came crashing down, collapsing right onto the jet and Dr. Banner.

"Bruce!" Natasha cried out as she and the Vision ran toward him. He didn't look too badly hurt but when Natasha saw his eyes shifting green in color she bade her machine escort to back away.

"Get back," she said, backing away and pressing the machine back as well. "We have to get to another jet."

"The quinjet stationed in Block C is still in functioning condition. Might I suggest we proceed to board that one," the Vision offered the option after scanning through the entirety of the hanger. Natasha nodded and just like that they made their way toward the untouched jet. Hearing the Hulk's roar and the blasts from the plasma lasers shook Natasha to her core. But it was Tony's cry that made her stop and turn around.

Tony's torso was sizzling to the point the man was forced to tear it off. Ultron made a direct hit to his power core; it wouldn't be long now until his secondary power supply would be depleted. When he crashed to the ground, Pym had tried to get near him, but Ultron kept him at bay. Tony's groans of pain frightened Natasha and she feared he'd be following Steve all too soon.

"Natasha Romanoff, AKA the Black Widow. Termination: imminent."

Natasha's bright green eyes widened and when she met Ultron's form it was only a second later that the machine fired at her. The light was overbearingly blinding but Natasha saw it all. She saw the energy form from the tiny burst emitters in Ultron's hand. She saw the beam travel in a diagonal pattern and when the Vision had thrown himself in front of her, blocking its path, its light, she watched the powerful laser break through the Vision's armor, shattering his abdomen into pieces. He had tried, but he couldn't stop the fatal shot.

Natasha's body immediately hit the floor. The beam had missed the jet just behind her through sheer luck but it had struck its target right through the chest.

"NO!" Thor cried out and in an instant, recuperated and slammed himself into Ultron just as the machine energized for another blow.

"Natasha!" Tony cried out, his eyes wide with fear as he tried his best to crawl over toward her, but he was so many yards away and his suit was locking up, making it near impossible to move. Pym was trying his best to help Tony but time was running out.

Just in that moment, Director Fury and his agents came in. His eye widened at the sight before him. The Avengers were indeed holding back Ultron, Thor was currently beating his hammer into the frame of the robot while the robot had yet to retaliate, but Natasha was down and there was blood everywhere. "Natasha!" he cried out and motioned for his agents to go to her aide. But she was across the hanger and seemed so far away. None were sure if they'd make it to her in time and so, in the end, it was Ultron's creation that stayed by the redhead's side as she felt her body begin to shut down.

"Forgive me, Mrs. Rogers. I have failed my task to protect you. I am sorry. I am sorry," the Vision said even though his system looked near to shutting down as his optics' lights flickered and his mechanic limbs shook and groaned with power loss and circuitry failure.

Natasha could care less for the pain she felt. She could care less for the blood she was choking on or running down her nostrils and ears. She could care less for her fading vision and hearing. All that her mind was set on right now was the safety of the child still inside her, still not ready to come into this world.

Her shaking palm pressed into her belly and felt no damage to skin or tissue. There was a small short-lived relief before she began choking harder and finding it hard to breathe. She was going to die and so was her child . . . Steve's child.

So, with shaking hands she took hold of the Vision's shoulders and held onto him the best she could. With his flickering optics he scanned her and said, "Condition: terminal. You have 2 minutes and 29 seconds until loss of life."

Natasha didn't need to be told by a machine to know she was dying. So, to her best ability, Natasha managed a few words.

"Ba . . . by . . ." she gasped out while spiting blood onto the Vision's cracked armor. "Get out."

It took a little while for the machine to comprehend what she was saying. "Negative," he said. "The carrying process is not yet complete. There is still 11 days left until birthing."

"Set . . . your lasers . . . on moderate . . . capacity . . . and take . . . him out . . . of me!" Natasha bit through her teeth and she watched what she thought was uncertainty rush through the machine . . . what an emotional thing.

But he listened. Raising his hand the palm glew and as the laser bit into Natasha's skin, she cried out.

"30 minutes and 5 seconds until system shutdown," the Vision informed as he cut into Natasha's belly. "Using secondary power supply. Plasma cannons at 4 percent; moderate, as Mrs. Rogers requested."

Natasha prayed to whatever God had taken her husband away that He spare the child inside her. That the baby live in the wake of his parents' deaths. Natasha inhaled sharply as the Vision pulled her child out, placenta still around him and umbilical cord still connected to his mother. Natasha felt a fear eat at her gut when she saw the child not moving, or making any sounds. The Vision tore his sack off and brushed him down. Her fears later relieved as she watched in amazement as the boy grew before her very eyes as if shifting to the perfect weight and length immediately.

"Weight: 4lbs. Weight: 5lbs. Weight: 6lbs. Weight: 7lbs. Weight: 8lbs. Weight: 9lbs. Weight: 10lbs. Weight: 11.4lbs." The Vision informed as he witnessed the growth as well and tracked it aloud. Now the baby ceased growing and just laid quiet in the Vision's arms

Time seemed to stop as Natasha looked at her child; her beautiful baby boy. His eyes were closed so she couldn't see the color, but she imagined he had Steve's blue hues. The top of his head wasn't as bald as she had thought. It was layered with peach fuzz, hinting in the color he'd likely inherit when older. His nose, looked so much like Steve's, his cheeks seemed higher than his and so no doubt he took that after his mother, but his chin, his ears, his neck—they were all his daddy's.

Natasha then felt her hot tears run down her cold face. She couldn't feel her arms anymore and the numbness was traveling up her spine toward her neck and torso. In that moment she had forgotten what it had been like to feel the rest of her body and in that she cried. She'd never get to touch her child, never to hold him in her arms, never to get to see him open those beautiful eyes, never to get to watch him make his first steps, never to get to hear his first words, never to get to see him reach his teens, or find his love, nor the joy of getting to become a grandmother through him. She was going to miss so many precious moments that she couldn't help but cry, but . . . she wasn't the first parent that was going to be robbed of such experiences.

"Steve," Natasha cried out as she looked up toward the collapsed ceiling of the hanger only to see it was daylight outside. The clouds moved lazily out of the way of the large bright orb in the sky and soon the light was shining down on her, warming her paling skin.

"Natasha!" Tony exclaimed as he and Clint had managed to make their way to her and the Vision. Clint took one look at the child and gasped in amazement while Tony kept his watery eyes on the redhead, who had been a close friend and sister-in-arms. "Natasha we're going to get you out of here, you hear? !"

"Mrs. Rogers has less than 43 seconds of life. We cannot save her," the Vision informed.

Tony had been so upset that he turned to him and shouted, "Shut the hell up, you damn machine! She's going to survive!"

When everyone turned to her she shook her head and closed her eyes. She didn't know how she managed to still speak, nor how everyone managed to still hear her quiet voice. "No," she said. "Not this time."

"You're a fighter, red, always have been!" Tony shouted, reaching out and pulling her up only to suck in a sob at the feel of her limp body. Natasha could see Clint turning his gaze away, forcing back his own sadness. They had all been like a close-knit family, especially after Ultron appeared and all were forced to hide underground together. After Steve had died the fear of another one perishing had been on everyone's mind and she was sure they had all imagined what it would be like if each had gone down, she knew she had, but she hadn't expected it to be her. That's life, isn't it?

"You," she said through gurgles. "Take care of him." She watched Tony's bottom lip quiver before shaking his head and saying, "Stop being so selfish, Natasha! You can't put that child on us. You're his mother. You're going to raise him!"

Once again Natasha was shaking her head and when she turned to the side she watched how liquefied her blood had become; it just slipped out past her lips no matter what she did.

"Tell him . . . how I loved him . . . how Steve . . . would have loved him," Natasha said, her chest heaving as she felt everything shut down, the last pain she was ever feeling. "Tell him . . . that his father's watching over him . . . and his mother's . . . watching under him."

"What are you talking about, Nat?" Tony asked, blinking away the tears while Clint stayed silent as he watched one of his closest friends pass away. "You're going to be with Steve up there. Stop saying such things."

Once again Natasha shook her head and offered the man an accepting smile. "He was always . . . too good. I had warned him . . . I had told him . . . that we'd . . . never be together . . ."

Tony gasped as he watched Natasha's eyes begin to fade. Immediately he turned toward the Vision and took up the child. Helping Natasha into a manageable sitting position with her leaning against him he took her arms and managed to make it as if she were holding him. It had surprised Natasha as well as the others but now she had known how everyone knew how badly she had longed to hold her son. Now she was, even though she couldn't feel him in her arms.

Ignoring how the child was being pressed into her bloody bosom Natasha blinked out her hot tears once more and watched the corners of her vision begin to blacken. She was scared of death because she was going to be separated from her child any moment. She didn't want to let go, not ever.

"Let your mama hear those vocals," Tony said and once again surprised Natasha as he pinched the little boy on the thigh, making him so upset that he cried out. Natasha got to hear his first cries when she had feared she'd never. Now she was sobbing to the extent she could no longer speak, but even through the tears she said, "James." It had been one of the names that had come to mind when the Vision had mentioned trying for "American" names and now it just seemed so right for him.

The last vision was that of her little boy crying in her arms. All too soon she could no longer hear him. All too soon she could no longer see him. She was dead and gone from the ones she loved. So, as she accepted her fate she prayed for someone to guide her son so that one day he'd have what it takes to make it into Heaven so his father could see him.

It was well with her. She had gotten the chance to hold him, to see him, and to hear him. She couldn't have asked for anything more and so hoped Steve would enjoy all of that and more when it came time for James to join him—hopefully sometime in the distant future.

She knew they were crying over her. She knew they were regretting not having protected her. But she wanted them to focus everything they had in protecting little James. She knew they would not fail her. Besides, if they did she'd definitely come back to haunt them.

In her final descent into the afterlife, before all of her being was erased into darkness, Natasha recalled the most important event in her life, the one she regretted yet loved the most . . .

_"I told you I hadn't been ready, Nat," Steve said as they talked for the first time after the few years of leave from S.H.E.I.L.D. after the Hydra and Winter Soldier incident. "Why do you keep persisting I find a gal when so much evil has happened and will happen again."_

_"Because you're a good man, Rogers," she said with a sad smile. "You deserve whatever you want."_

_"I deserve whatever I want?" Steve asked. Natasha nodded and crossed her arms. "Then what about you? Why don't you find someone?"_

_"Because I'm the opposite of you," she said with a sad chuckle. "I deserve nothing so I'll remain alone."_

_"If I deserve whoever I want then why can't I have you?" Steve asked._

_Natasha froze; her eyes wide and lips agape as she looked the Captain. He was serious. There was no jesting smile, no wiggle of the eyebrows. Nothing. His eyes were narrowed and his lips pulled tight in a straight line as if ready for a fight._

_"No," she said, shaking her head. "You're too good for me. I won't have myself ruin your life."_

_"I thought love knows no boundaries and that love cannot destroy but create," Steve said softly as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He cast his eyes down and looked at the soft grass under their feet. "I did what you wanted of me, Natasha . . . I let my soul search but every time I thought it ended in a dead end I realized it wasn't a dead end at all, it was just you. You're my end, Natasha, I know it. If I deserve whatever I want why then can't I have you?"_

_Natasha didn't know what to say. She glanced down and then chuckled at the irony of being caught by a simple play of her own words. "I don't know," she said honestly, still not looking him in the eyes. "Maybe because I'm no good . . . maybe because I might betray you for unforeseen reasons . . . maybe because I might cause your death . . . maybe because I'd make a lousy girlfriend or wife—whatever you'd want to call me."_

_"Would you?" Steve asked._

_Natasha pursed her lips and shook her head with a chuckle. "God no, Rogers. You know me too well."_

_"Then let's do it," Steve said, pressing onward. "Be my gal?"_

_The feeling Natasha hated more than anything else besides the one that started with an "L" and ended with an "E" was the feeling of regret. It was such a burdening feeling that easily weighed on her like a thousand bricks and on whoever the unfortunate soul was that tried to bind to her. But in that moment she didn't care. She had hoped she wouldn't ever feel that feeling again, but with their occupation and the way the world was turning out so dark and dangerous she knew it couldn't be guaranteed but even so she hoped if that feeling did appear again that it only take her prisoner, and not Steve. He deserved better._

_"Ok," she said with a sigh, still keeping her gaze down before she felt Steve step closer to her and then wrap his arms around her, pressing her head into his strong chest._

_"You know I just might marry you, right?" Steve said as he held her close while Natasha listened to the easy rhythm of Steve's gentle heart._

_"Yeah, I know," Natasha replied as she closed her eyes and slowly raised her arms and wrapped them around the man who she had come to love regardless of how badly she tried to keep him at bay._

In the end Natasha took a chance with him and had found herself free of that feeling of regret . . . even at the end. She would have never had the chapters in her life written any differently. She had loved Steve while she could and even now when she can't be with him, being with him on Earth was enough and loving him and being loved back had never felt so fulfilling. She was glad to have been called his gal, his wife, and lastly but not least, the mother of his child.

She knew she couldn't make up for every horror and atrocity she had done in her life, but she hoped she had helped build the Rogers name up like Steve would have wanted. Because love was all she had to offer Steve and love is what she got back in return, so much love that at times she felt she'd die. It had felt good to be wanted . . . especially by a man like Steve. She couldn't have asked for anything more.

She hadn't deserved a man like Steve Rogers. She hadn't even deserved to carry his child, but she did, so maybe she did deserve a few finer things in life while it lasted. But she was certain it was all the blessings emitted from Steve. And what a blessing it had been to be his wife and to cherish him as he cherished her.

Even if her soul ended up in the Lake of Fire itself she would forever be comforted by the thought of that day, when she accepted Steve's love for her and finally learned to live in her unending death.

* * *

Next Oneshot . . .

**Universe: ZombieAU**

**Title:**** This is it, the Apocalypse**

Summary: It wasn't easy surviving the Zombie Apocalypse. Steve realized this months ago. But after finding his long-thought-dead-ex-girlfriend, who happens to be ready to pop at any moment, life just gets harder. Surviving for one; a challenge. Surviving for two; dangerous. Surviving for three; suicidal. But Steve was willing to try.


End file.
